Do OUR Churches need a Malcolm X-type experience?
on February 26th, 2006 at 12:58 pmIn his autobiography, Malcolm X talks about the transformation he experienced going to Mecca. There he saw for the first time Muslims of all nationalities gathered together for one common cause. It was in Mecca he was able to make a global connection with others who shared his beliefs.
In many ways, referring to our churches as “the black church” does more harm than good as it erases our spiritual connection with churches in other ethinic groups. While all churches have a responsibility to their respected communities, it was the prayer of Jesus Christ that the church as a whole would see itself as one body.
If I was to take a quick poll today, my guess would be that more of you who attended church this morning heard about how to be blessed than the recent story where approximately 58 people (mostly Christians) were killed in Nigeria over Muslim outrage surrounding the recently published cartoons that depict Mohammed. Was there any mention of stories similar to the excerpts below?
February 21 (Compass) – Accusing the pastor of an independent church in the northern state of Punjab of “forcible conversion,†an Indian woman from Canada and three unidentified youths on February 8 beat the Christian leader so severely that he required hospital treatment. (more…)
February 23 (Compass) – Jailed since November for allegedly burning a Quran, which triggered attacks against churches in the Punjabi town of Sangla Hill, today a Pakistani Christian was cleared of guilt by an anti-terrorism court.
The Lahore court declared Yousaf Masih innocent on three accounts: committing blasphemy against the Quran, carrying out an act of terror and attempting to burn down a house. Jailed originally for blasphemy in November, Masih had the last two charges added to his case during a February 4 hearing.
At a final hearing on February 12, Masih’s accuser, Mohammed Saleem, told the court that he had not actually seen the Christian throw a match into a Sangla Hill building used to store old copies of the Quran – he had only suspected him of it.
Saleem’s accusations, initially broadcast from mosque loudspeakers in November, triggered a mob of 2,000 Muslims to attack and destroy four Sangla Hill churches on November 12. Local witnesses later confirmed that Saleem made the blasphemy claims after suffering heavy gambling losses to Masih. (more…)
January 20 (Compass) – One Christian has died and at least 11 Egyptians were reportedly injured yesterday morning when Muslims clashed with security police and set fire to a Christian community center in Upper Egypt. Coptic Christian Kamaal Shaker died of injuries he received when a group of Muslims set fire to an Orthodox-owned building in the town of el-Udaysaat, near the city of Luxor. (more…)
Fourteen churches in one town have been earmarked for demolition in one of Nigeria’s northern Sharia states.
Christians in Zamfara report that, as well as the 14 congregations in Gusau town which have received demolition notices, several other churches across the state have had the same news.
The demolition programme is thought to be the work of state governor Alhaji Ahmed Sani, an Islamic hardliner.
In fact, the programme dates back to 2003 when St Peter’s Anglican Church in Governor Sani’s home town of Bakura was destroyed on his orders. The church’s pastor received a visit from a town councillor who announced the church would be demolished the following morning – before Governor Sani arrived later that day. (more…)
Eritrean military authorities have jailed 75 Christians at a military training camp – for ‘reading Bibles and praying during their free time’.
Most of those arrested are students doing their compulsory national military service in Sawa, a remote area in western Eritrea near the border with Sudan. Thirty-seven of the 75 are women. (more…)
Here is a website dedicated on keeping track of all imprisoned Christians worldwide.
While we raise up millions to build buildings that are only fully occupied one day a week, much of that money could go helping fellow Christians worldwide who need it more. If you read in the New Testament, you will quickly find out that the early church PROSPERED under a government that was hostile towards them. What was their secret?
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:44-47)
In fact, throughout the New Testament, you will find no mention of the early church taking to the streets in protest over what they deemed was owed to them.
Hold up! Wait a minute! Are you saying that we should not become politically active?
On the contrary, we should and need to on a regular basis. But we also need to realize that our ties to our brothers and sisters locally and internationally must be stronger than our expectancy of the government. Church should not just be about getting a weekly spiritual uplift, but a reaffirmation that you are part of a global body of individuals that share your beliefs under one common denominator–Jesus Christ.
Related post: Missing! African-American Missionaries
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